Volunteers gather to clean up, plant at Tarentum's community garden

For the first time since the covid pandemic broke out over a year ago, volunteers gathered to clean up Tarentum’s community garden and begin planting for the season.

While individuals came out throughout 2020 to keep the Greg Blythe Friendship Community Garden going last year, group events like Saturday’s spring work day could not be held, said the Rev. Phil Beck, of First United Presbyterian Church in Tarentum.

While many people were using the garden on First Avenue next to Dreshar Stadium last year, tending to it without group events “was a lot harder,” Beck said.

One improvement made last year was the introduction of a number of raised beds obtained through a grant from Grow Pittsburgh. Made from hemlock, they should last forever, Beck said.

About 30 volunteers took part in the work day Saturday. Work included pulling weeds, spreading compost and planting peas, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, radishes and carrots.

“It’s wonderful. It’s a gorgeous day and wonderful to be around a group of people,” said Gretchen Brauch, of Tarentum, who was at the garden with her daughter, Ella, 8, and son Evan, 7. “It’s wonderful to be socializing again.”

The garden is named for Greg Blythe, former pastor of Abundant Joy Fellowship and a founder of the garden, who died from cancer in November 2018.

Prominent at the garden is a new sign designed by Blythe’s niece, Emily Whitco of Murrysville, who painted it and made it with her husband, Matt Whitco. The sign includes fingerprints and handprints from children and adults. A figure on the sign represents Blythe and has insects painted by his grandchildren on him.

“My Uncle Greg loved kids, so I wanted to incorporate everyone,” she said.

It was supposed to have gone up last year but was postponed by the pandemic, Whitco said.

More events, to work and learn, are planned this year, Beck said.

Weekly events will be posted on the new sign.

“The garden itself is open to anyone,” Beck said. “You’re welcome to come in to pick what’s in the garden. You’ll see our ‘pick now’ and ‘don’t pick’ signs, and that will be helpful to you.

“When you do pick something, we also ask that you sort of help out — pick up some trash, pull some weeds.”

A free pantry from which residents can take from or add to as they can is also at the garden, where it has been since 2018.

Beck said they’d like to find Boy Scouts interested in doing projects at the garden, which he said needs more benches and picnic tables.

Beck said the garden is in need of wood chips. He asked anyone willing to give some to bring them down.